Ephraim smith



(No Model.)

E. SMITH. MOWING MACHINE.

No. 445.347. Patented Jan. 27, 1891.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EPHRAIM SMITH, OF Pl'lTS URG, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO GEORGE V. VILLSON, OF SAME PLACE.

MOWlNG-MACHINE.

SIECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 445,34?, dated January 27, 1891.

Application led January 27, 1886. Serial No. 189,883. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom t may concern: In the form of my invention shown in Fig. Be it known that I, EPHRAIM Salir-H, of Pitts- 3 I substitute for the spring H a coiled spring burg, Allegheny county, State of Pennsylva- 7o, located within the sprocket-wheel itself, nia, have invented certain new and useful Iinand connected, for instance, at one end to the 5 proveniente in Mowiiig-lllacliines, of which interior surface of said wheel and at the other the following' is a true and exact description, end to the rigid axis, upon which it turns. reference being had to the accompanying T he operation of myimprovement is easily drawings, which form a part of this specififollowed upon the drawings. The uprightcation. standard F should be placed close to thehinge 6o io The object of my invention is to provide a E, so as to be .out of the way of the grass, and simple and effective means of iioating during its height must be such that the action of the use the iinger-bar of a mowing-machine, the spring pulling cbliquely upward from its uparrangement of parts being such that both per end will tend at the same time to lift ends of the finger-bar are balanced at the both the inner and outer shoes of the finger- 6 5 I5 same time, so as to readily follow the inebar. Its height of course will vary with the qualities of the ground, by means of an adlength ofthe finger-bar and the position of justable spring connection extending oblique the upright standard with respect to thehinge ly downward from the machineframe to a of the finger-bar. I prefer in all cases to atstandard located upon the finger-bar in proxtach the connection I to the frame of the ma- 7o zo imity to the point of connection of the latter chine in such a way that it can be continued with the coupling-bar. past the point of suspension and connected In the accompanying drawings illustrative with the lifting-lever J, so that the driver can of my invention, Figure l represents in rear by the same connection easily lift the fingerelevation a rear-cut mowing-machine probar to pass an obstruction or throw it up 75 z 5 vided with one form of my improvement. out of operative position. It is important,

Fig. 2 represents in detail perspective and on however, that the adjustment of the spring f ,t a larger scale a separate View of the parts to sustain the finger-bar in operation should constituting said form; and Fig. 3 represents be entirely independent of this lever. I conan alternative form of spring connection, veniently secure this result in the construc- 8c 3o which may be substituted for that shown in tion shown in Fig. 3, inasmuch as by adjustthe other iigures. ing the chain upon the teeth of the sprocket- Similar letters of reference indicate similar wheel the resiliency ofthe coiled spring thereparts throughout the several views. in. may be varied at will, so that any desired In the mowing-machine shown in the drawamount of lifting force can be applied to the 85 3 5 ings, A indicates the frame; B B, the wheels; end of the upright standard F. Additional O, the finger-bar; D, the coupling-bar hinged advantages result from the employment of thereto at E; G, the drag-bar, and J the ordithis construction. Thus the spring, being innary lifting or gagging lever. closed, is protected, and moreover it not only Upon a suitable bearing upon the machineserves to balance or float the finger-bar when 9o 40 frame is mounted the sprocket wheel or pulit is in operation, but also aids the driver in ley K, and over the teeth of this wheel exlifting or gagging the same by means of the tends the connection I, extending obliquely lever. downward and being attached to an upright To effect the union of the swing-sustainstandard F, secured upon or attached to the ing device and the lifting-lever in the most 95 45 iinger-bar at its inner shoe and in proximity useful way, the height of the upright standto its point of connection with the couplingard F should be gaged so as to act with more bar. As part of the connection I inthe form power upon the outer end of the flnger-bar of my invention shown in Figsl and 2 is the than upon its inner end. This is necessary spring II,which, as is obvious, may be adjusted not onlybecause it places the outer end of the roo 5o by catching its hooked end i into different finger-bar more directly under the control of links of the sprocket-chain. the driver, but also because Ait is more impor tant to keep the Weight otthe finger-bar off the said lever and the finger-bar, att-ached at one ground at its outer end than at its inner end. end lto the lever, extending thence over a Having thus described my invention, what point on the frame above and inward of the I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Pat- Iinger-bars pivot to the standard 0n sai'd in- 15 5 ent, isger-bar, substantially as and for the purposes In amoWing-maehine, theembinatomwith set forth.. lthe coupling-bar, of a finger-bar pivotally eon- A f EPHRAIM SMITH neoted therewith, a standard located upon the finger-bar near the point of connection of the Witnesses:

1o :finger-bar and coupling-bar, a lifting-lever, Y A. B. SMITH, J r.,

and an adjustable spring connection between W. M. DALYTUSH. 

